The 2016 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 21st through the 31st in Park City, Utah. The festival is a destination for both up-and-coming and veteran filmmakers, and has earned a reputation as a showcase for some of the most critically acclaimed and Oscar-worthy films of the year. This year, out of the 12,793 submissions they received, the Sundance committee has selected just over 200 feature length and short films to play at the festival. From all of this, there is sure to be plenty of studio deals, bidding wars, trailers, clips and news — and we’re here to give you a daily wrap up of all the big developments from Park City. (And don’t forget to check out our exclusive party and event grid!)
It’s the seventh day of the festival and more studio deals pop up for a heartwrenching doc about cyberbullying, Clea DuVall’s directorial debut, a street magician drug dealer, and a movie about a nerdy quiz team trying to lose their virginity.
DEALS
AUDRIE & DAISY
Synopsis: After two high school girls in different towns are sexually assaulted by boys they consider friends, online bullying leads each girl to attempt suicide. Tragically, one dies. Assault in the social media age is explored from the perspectives of the girls and boys involved, as well as their torn-apart communities.
Category: U.S. Documentary Competition
Directors: Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk
Purchased by: Netflix
THE INTERVENTION
Synopsis: A weekend getaway for four couples takes a sharp turn when one of the couples discovers the entire trip was orchestrated to host an intervention on their marriage.
Category: U.S. Dramatic Competition
Director: Clea DuVall
Cast: Alia Shawkat, Ben Schwartz, Clea DuVall, Cobie Smulders, Melanie Lynskey, Natasha Lyonne
Purchased by: Paramount Pictures
SLEIGHT
Synopsis: After a young street magician is left to care for his little sister following their mother’s passing, he turns to dealing drugs, but he quickly runs into trouble with his supplier. When his sister gets kidnapped, he must rely on his smarts and sleight of hand to save her.
Category: NEXT
Director: JD Dillard
Cast: Cameron Esposito, Dule Hill, Jacob Latimore, Sasheer Zamata, Seychelle Gabriel, Storm Reid
Purchased by: Blumhouse and WWE Films
BRAHMAN NAMAN
Synopsis: When Bangalore University’s misfit quiz team manages to get into the national championships, they make an alcohol-fueled, cross-country journey to the competition, determined to defeat their arch-rivals from Calcutta while all desperately trying to lose their virginity.
Category: World Cinema Dramatic Competition
Director: Q
Cast: Chaitanya Varad, Shashank Arora, Sid Mallya, Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy, Tanmay Dhanania, Vaiswath Shankar
Purchased by: Netflix
ACQUISITION TALLY AS OF JANUARY 28, 2016:
A24: 1
Amazon: 5
Beta Cinema: 1
Blumhouse: 1
Brainstorm Media: 1
Fox Searchlight: 1
HBO: 1
IFC: 1
Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment: 1
Magnolia Pictures: 1
Netflix: 5
The Orchard: 1
Oscilloscope Laboratories: 1
Paramount Pictures: 1
Roadside Attractions: 1
Showtime: 1
Sony Pictures Classics: 2
WWE Films: 1
See all of our preview posts for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, and catch up with our full coverage of the festival in our other Sundance Spotlights!
For a complete list of festival films and details, visit sundance.org.
Dino-Ray Ramos | Staff Writer
